In the last few years a new organization has been formed within the United States government known as Space Architects Office. The purpose of the Space Architects Office is to evaluate the escalating costs associated with operating U.S. satellites and to offer a plan to control costs as more satellites are planned to be launched in space.
One study conducted and completed this year by this Space Architects Office concluded that approximately 806 million dollars per year are expended by satellite control operations such as the Air Force Satellite Control Network, the Navy Satellite Control Network, the Naval Research laboratory Satellite Control Network, the Army Satellite Control Network, the NASA Space Satellite Control Network, and the civil communities NOAA Satellite Control Network. None of the above-mentioned satellite control networks are compatible with one another. There is also significant redundancy and overlap of satellite control operations between networks. This drives excess mission costs for the ground control segments of the various different satellite networks, especially in view of the fact that each network is supported by multiple ground control sites. In other words, each satellite control network is an independent stove pipe and this costs the U.S. tax payer a lot of money. For this reason, the government is undertaking an initiative to phase out these stove pipe satellite networks in an attempt to consolidate satellite operations among National Security, Civil and Commercial Space Sectors.
In parallel with the cost issue, the satellite industry is well aware and well advised to to develop and implement technologies that provide for the security of space assets. The new technologies must prevent unauthorized access or jamming or hacking of sensitive satellite communications. The problem of security of space assets is particularly acute in regional conflict situations where it is desirable to use satellites to observe ground troop movements and naval exercises, and to communicate sensitive information to “friendlies” in the conflict areas. It is therefor critical to the success of the mission that access to the space assets be denied to enemy forces.
Information warfare, space control, and information security are the prerequisite areas that must be factored into any new satellite control architecture. Present day satellite communications networks are susceptible to jamming, hackers, and interception by adversaries. In the event of major regional conflict in the future, there is much concern that serious attempts will be made to deny U.S. space assets by adversaries. To address this problem, the next generation of satellite control networks must include sufficient “Space Control” technology effective to maintain the full utility and control of satellite operations. Space Control is the ability to insure the total operation of space assets at any time as well as to deny the use of satellites to others.